Recommended items: classic plain canned luncheon meat, canned light luncheon meat, canned black pepper luncheon meat, canned garlic luncheon meat, canned bacon luncheon meat
 
In the 30s of the 20th century, the meat giant Hormel introduced an inexpensive canned meat product called "Hormel Spiced Ham". This was not the first luncheon meat to appear on the U.S. market at the time, but it was the first to change the packaging format to 12 ounces (340 grams) per can, which was just right for a family's meal, and this specification became the standard for canned luncheon meat in later generations. The canned food later used "SPAM" as a new trademark, and SPAM World Stick Luncheon Meat was born.
 
As the originator of canned luncheon meat, SPAM has a wide influence around the world. During World War II, SPAM was exported to the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Hawaii, Okinawa, Guam and other countries and regions with the U.S. military.
 
SPAM entered China relatively late, and once withdrew from the Chinese market due to policy reasons, and only returned in 2017; After returning to China, all the products that were put into the local market were produced at the Hormel factory in Jiaxing, Zhejiang. There are five types of SPAM products on sale in China: classic original, light, black pepper, garlic and bacon, each with 198g and 340g packs, and the retail prices are about 24 yuan and 37.9 yuan respectively, which is higher than the vast majority of similar products on the market. Today, SPAM is conveniently available in supermarkets and convenience stores, and is also sold directly by brands on mainstream e-commerce platforms.
 
SPAM's classic original flavor is the same simple recipe that has been used since 1937 and contains only six ingredients: pork shoulder, salt, water, potato starch, sugar and colouring agent. The pork content is greater than 90%, the pork quality is good, the meat is fragrant, the starch content is low, and the tissue form is dense, so it can offer a more real meat feeling, which is incomparable to many domestic luncheon meats.
 
Of course, the traditional formula also means that it is out of touch with the times to some extent, and with the development of dietary health awareness, the extremely high saltiness of SPAM has gradually become unacceptable and has become the focus of consumer criticism. It is worth noting that although SPAM is known for its saltiness, due to the demand for less salt in Asia, the classic original flavor of domestic SPAM has been reduced salt version, which is basically the same sodium content as the American version of 25% Less Sodium Reduced Salt version. SPAM Lite is a healthier option, based on the classic flavor, with 33% fewer calories and 50% less fat, the same sodium content as the domestic original, and the protein content is much higher than other similar products due to the increased lean meat ratio.
 
However, even with a 25% reduction in sodium, SPAM is still difficult for those with a light taste to eat, and decoction cannot reduce its salty taste, so it is recommended to eat it with a proper diet. If you're still not satisfied with the 25% reduced salt version, then the US version of the 50% Less Sodium version will be the final solution provided by SPAM.
 
For the other three flavors, the garlic-flavored SPAM is filled with fresh garlic puree; The black pepper-flavored SPAM is infused with natural black pepper granules; The bacon-flavored SPAM incorporates Hormel's classic bacon flavor into the original recipe. It should be noted that the salt content of garlic SPAM and black pepper SPAM is higher than that of domestic original SPAM. In fact, SPAM sells more flavors in the U.S., but not every flavor performs well, and not every flavor is easily accepted by the Chinese stomach — such as the eerie turkey flavor and the jalapeño flavor where the pepper particles are visible to the naked eye.
 
Salty is a common problem of canned luncheon meat, the sodium content of domestic SPAM is at the average level in the canned luncheon meat on the market, and the Chinese brand luncheon meat is also high in salt, and the palatability is better because its spices are more in line with the taste of the Chinese people, which does not mean that the Chinese brand luncheon meat is healthier. Therefore, regardless of the brand of luncheon meat, it is recommended to eat it in moderation.